USC and Penn State tied, 7-7, after first quarter

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First the defenses showed their strengths. Then it was the offenses’ turn.

After the game opened with three punts on the first three possessions, the Trojans opened up both the running and passing game. The end result: an 11-play, 86-yard drive that ended with a 27-yard touchdown pass from Mark Sanchez to wide receiver Damian Williams with 4:12 remaining.

But the Nittany Lions also have some playmakers.

First, they set up running and passing plays for Derrick Williams. Evan Royster bullied his way through the USC trenches.

Then, after calling time out with 10 seconds remaining in the first quarter, quarterback Darryl Clark ran a quarterback draw for a 9-yard touchdown run to tie the game up. It concluded a 9-play, 80-yard drive. Both teams are disciplined on defense, though, and both teams have a balanced offense. It’ll be interesting to see which team’s strengths prevail in the end.

-- Mark Medina